“First, we form habits, then they form us. Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you.” Rob Gilbert

 

You’ve promised yourself this would be the last time, the last binge, the last drink, the last time you hit snooze and avoided the day. But the cycle keeps repeating.

Here’s the truth: Habits aren’t just about willpower. They are about emotional wiring.

And that’s exactly where I work combining Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ( CBT ) and Clinical Hypnotherapy to help people break free from patterns that no longer serve them.

Why You Can’t Just “Snap Out of It”

Many of the habits we struggle with didn’t come out of nowhere - they were learned responses to stress, fear, or unmet needs.

Through CBT, we break the cycle down:

• What are the thoughts you have before the habit kicks in?
• What feelings or situations tend to trigger it?
• What false beliefs keep it going - like “ I’ll never change” or “this is just who I am?”

For example:

• That evening overeating might be your body‘s way of self soothing after a day of perfectionism and self criticism.
• The procrastination might be fear of failure dressed up as “I’m just lazy.”
• The nail-biting, screen-scrolling, or drinking might be coping mechanisms your nervous system learned to survive.

CBT helps to identify the pattern, challenge the belief, and build new behaviours step-by-step.

Where Hypnotherapy Comes In

While CBT works on the conscious level - helping you recognise and reframe your thinking-  Hypnotherapy helps shift what’s happening beneath it.

In a relaxed, focus state, Hypnotherapy helps :

• Reprogram unhelpful associations (e.g. stress doesn’t have to equal sugar or smoking)
• Reinforce new, healthier responses.
• Reduce compulsive urges and inner resistance.
• Visualise success so vividly, the mind starts to believe it’s possible.

You gain access to the subconscious programming that drives so much of our behaviour.

Together, CBT and hypnotherapy work like two hands: one giving you an awareness, the other helping you embody change.

Change Doesn’t Require Perfection- Just a Shift in Direction

Lasting change isn’t about being perfect. It’s about becoming more aware - and more aligned.

You don’t have to keep battling yourself. You can learn how to work with your mind instead of against it.

This is the work I do with clients. We built clarity, consistency, and confidence - with evidence-based tools and deep compassion.

Let’s Break the Cycle - Together

As a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist, I employ a structured and evidence-based approach to habit modification, which has proven successful in helping many individuals in overcoming their negative habits and replacing them with healthier alternatives.

Contact me to find out more and discuss your individual needs: sarra@freeourmind.co.uk, 07384 449081.